Hero counter guide
* Stats are based on Phantom and higher ranked matches.
Items That Punish Shiv
Weapon
No weapon counter items in this tier.
Vitality
No vitality counter items in this tier.
Spirit
No spirit counter items in this tier.
Shiv has a rough time when enemies buy Disarming Hex, Weapon Shielding and Knockdown. Disarming Hex is a major problem because it can shut down a key play right when Shiv wants to start or finish a fight. Weapon Shielding gives enemies extra room to survive direct fights against Shiv. Knockdown can interrupt Shiv before a play is finished, especially when the fight is already crowded. Most of the strongest results here are spirit items, so the pattern is less about one random purchase and more about enemies making fights harder to start, finish, or escape. If you are playing Shiv, check for these items before taking a full fight. If you are playing against Shiv, these are strong tools for making each engage harder and forcing Shiv to work for every kill.
Hero Matchups
Hard counters
| Hero | Shiv win rate | Matches |
|---|---|---|
 Seven Mystic | 41.5% | 21,113 |
 McGinnis Mystic | 42.4% | 11,032 |
 Dynamo Mystic | 43.7% | 23,893 |
 Victor Brawler | 43.8% | 20,962 |
 Vyper Assassin | 43.8% | 11,814 |
 Ivy Marksman | 44.4% | 18,256 |
Slightly difficult
| Hero | Shiv win rate | Matches |
|---|---|---|
 Kelvin Brawler | 44.7% | 17,224 |
 The Doorman Mystic | 45.0% | 14,676 |
 Warden Brawler | 46.1% | 21,764 |
 Paige Mystic | 46.2% | 12,905 |
 Graves Marksman | 46.2% | 12,412 |
 Mina Marksman | 46.3% | 27,938 |
Even matchups
| Hero | Shiv win rate | Matches |
|---|---|---|
 Holliday Marksman | 49.3% | 10,831 |
 Billy Brawler | 48.6% | 14,432 |
 Celeste Marksman | 48.5% | 15,930 |
 Calico Assassin | 48.2% | 14,760 |
 Lady Geist Mystic | 48.0% | 17,276 |
 Silver Marksman | 47.8% | 22,535 |
Favorable targets
| Hero | Shiv win rate | Matches |
|---|---|---|
 Venator Marksman | 51.5% | 23,776 |
 Rem Operative | 50.9% | 13,465 |
 Sinclair Mystic | 50.7% | 9,670 |
 Viscous Mystic | 50.4% | 12,193 |
 Bebop Brawler | 50.1% | 35,582 |
 Grey Talon Marksman | 50.0% | 16,045 |
Shiv has the hardest time into Seven, McGinnis and Dynamo because those matchups can make it difficult to take clean fights. These heroes can slow the game down, punish bad engages, or force Shiv to spend too much before getting real value. On the other side, Shiv looks more comfortable into heroes like Venator, Rem and Sinclair, where there is more room to move, trade, and choose when the fight starts. The middle matchups are still playable either way, so do not treat the list as a hard rule. Team setup, item timing, and how safely Shiv enters the fight will matter a lot.
Shiv By Rank
Shiv is not going to feel the same in every rank. In some brackets, players may give cleaner openings and let Shiv stay active in fights. In tougher games, enemies are more likely to respect Shiv's timing, group better, and shut the play down before Shiv gets full value. The strongest read is not just where Shiv has the highest win rate, but where the results stay consistent across enough matches.
Detailed item stats against Shiv
| Counter item |  Initiate |  Seeker |  Alchemist |  Arcanist |  Ritualist |  Emissary |  Archon |  Oracle |  Phantom |  Ascendant |  Eternus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Disarming Hex 700 total matches | 46.4% | 34.2% | 30.0% | 26.3% | 30.1% | 32.6% | 34.0% | 27.2% | 32.7% | 28.6% | 28.1% |
 Weapon Shielding 170 total matches | 39.4% | 38.9% | 41.1% | 34.7% | 32.8% | 37.0% | 43.7% | 38.2% | 30.6% | 34.6% | 30.0% |
 Knockdown 523 total matches | 47.2% | 37.4% | 39.1% | 37.4% | 34.4% | 35.2% | 32.8% | 34.9% | 32.5% | 35.3% | 41.2% |
 Rusted Barrel 720 total matches | 40.9% | 36.1% | 36.4% | 34.3% | 35.0% | 35.9% | 34.8% | 32.0% | 38.2% | 35.9% | 37.5% |
 Slowing Hex 1,564 total matches | 43.5% | 38.8% | 41.0% | 43.6% | 43.2% | 39.6% | 35.6% | 40.1% | 39.5% | 36.2% | 42.2% |
 Metal Skin 11,976 total matches | 41.5% | 38.6% | 39.3% | 36.9% | 36.8% | 36.7% | 38.7% | 38.2% | 38.1% | 39.4% | 41.0% |
 Cursed Relic 253 total matches | 42.3% | 45.9% | 37.7% | 34.8% | 36.6% | 32.7% | 29.7% | 38.2% | 36.0% | 42.6% | 54.2% |
 Rapid Rounds 464 total matches | 39.3% | 43.4% | 39.6% | 40.0% | 44.8% | 36.7% | 47.2% | 43.8% | 35.2% | 45.8% | 39.0% |
 Spirit Shielding 525 total matches | 41.2% | 41.0% | 41.2% | 41.4% | 36.5% | 43.1% | 37.9% | 44.1% | 37.2% | 44.5% | 42.9% |
 Burst Fire 304 total matches | 45.4% | 48.5% | 42.8% | 42.3% | 49.0% | 38.9% | 50.6% | 41.8% | 42.5% | 40.8% | 38.7% |